Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron's explosive, white-knuckle sci-fi instant classic is a wonder to behold, with devastatingly realistic effects as a backdrop to a terrifying, compelling story and terrific work by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. It is both a concrete what-if story and a mesmerizing existential mindbender.

The U.S Space Shuttle Explorer is docked at the International Space Station. Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock), on her first space mission, is installing an external device on the station that will enable astronomers to peer even deeper into space. Meanwhile, the mission commander Kowalski (Clooney), on his final mission, merrily spacewalks in a jet pack; other crew members perform maintenance or communicate with Earth.

Then trouble strikes. Houston reports that the Russians have blown up one of their own satellites, hurling debris throughout Earth's orbit. Before the crew can return to the shuttle and head back to Earth, the craft and the ISS are pounded with lots and lots of pieces of metal traveling at extreme speeds. The damage is extensive, setting off an odyssey for Dr. Stone that is both literal and figurative, as she must find a way to keep going and return back home.

There is hardly a moment of inaction. Stone and Kowalski veer from problem to problem, everything accentuate by the simple fact that they are alone up there, not even able to contact NASA. It's a terrifying situation. Most of us might have a slight panic attack if we're stranded on the side of the road without a cell phone. Imagine being up in the heavens with no way to get down.

Emmanuel Lubezki's dizzying camera-work serves two purposes: it provides us with Stone's visual perspective, that of a novice, and it provides context for the disaster she and Kowalski find themselves in. If you think that the pictures from the Hubble telescope were beautiful, wait until you see these breathtaking visuals; they're as stirring and evocative as the acting and story itself.

Stone journey, as I mentioned, becomes more than just a path back to safety. She is grieving in her own way, becoming a quiet, almost listless passenger in life. Her decisions and her proactive attitude not only bring her closer to survival but also to a healing of her mind. This is definitely among Bullock's finest work, perhaps her greatest achievement to date.

I've noted before that 3D movies in darkened environments, such as outer space, are utterly needless, since 3D actually removes light from scenes. But somehow, the 3D effects in Gravity sidestep that downside. The technology is used so expertly here that whether we are approaching an object at high velocity or it is approaching us, we feel immersed in the scene, not distracted from it. Tough to do.

I simply cannot delve into the plot any more than I already have. The astute viewer will still have trouble guessing the outcome and the twists within the movie, particularly because the action is so hard- driven – while still utterly coherent and plausible.

There are plenty of heart-stopping moments in Gravity, even for the most jaded of viewers. It is fantastic storytelling supported by arresting cinematography. It may be too early for movies to get serious award- season consideration, but I'll come out and say this right now: Gravity is one of the very best movies of the year.

When I first opened my email to see a Klout Perk inviting me to an advance screening of Gravity, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, I'll admit my first thought was... 'what is Gravity?' At this point, it was still early enough that the huge marketing blitz for the film was just starting, and since I don't watch a lot of live TV, I had not seen any trailers for it. Since I never like to turn down a free movie however, I immediately signed up. I'm very glad that I did.

Security was pretty intensive for a screening only a month or so before a new release, forcing us to check in (my name was on 'the list') with 3 separate people, as well as having to leave our cell phones out in the car and be screened though a metal detector wand to ensure we weren't bringing ANY electronic devices in the theater.

Thankfully, the drama wasn't limited to the process of getting in, the movie provided plenty as well! From the opening scene to the closing credits, there are many dramatic moments, underscored brilliantly by the AMAZING Steven Price score. The music and sound in this film really stand out, both in the places where it is used, and even more dramatically in places where it is not. Movies very rarely seem to know where silence is the right choice, but they do a fantastic job here.

The screening was in 3D, of which I normally am not a huge fan. Typically, the glasses are uncomfortable, or don't fit over (or under) my glasses, which forces me to wear them alone and watch the movie with my crappy blurred vision. The glasses provided for this film, however were easy to slip on over my own glasses without feeling like I was wearing safety goggles. The 3D effects were well done, and accented the movie nicely without feeling obtrusive or 'gag-like'. I probably would have enjoyed the movie just as much in 2D, but I will recommend seeing it in 3D if that's your thing.

The visuals in Gravity are absolutely stunning! The views of the earth from space and the way the graphics are completed really give you a small sense of what it would be like to be in space. Even without getting into the script or acting, the visuals, combined with the previously mentioned sound design excellence, create a truly immersive experience well worth going to a theater to experience on the big screen. Of course, we have to talk about the acting... Both Clooney and Bullock put on a great show in Gravity. With Sandra Bullock actually putting on an acting clinic at times that I, for one, never gave her credit for in the past. Without spoiling the movie for anyone, I will tell you that these two are the only people you see on screen, with the rest of the very short cast list appearing in voice form only. It can be incredibly hard for a one or two man show to keep people's attention, but much like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, they pull it off with the 1-2 punch of great acting and solid writing.

It also doesn't hurt that the run time on the film is only 90 minutes. I'm sure they could have easily forced another 20 to 30 minutes in to get the time up, but they made the right choice I believe in making it short and to the point. The overall effect is that when you leave the theater you know that the whole story was told (and beautifully told at that), and that none of your time was wasted on superfluous or gratuitous film stock.